Ford (F)

***Please make sure to do your research and consult a professional. I am not a professional and content is intended to be used and must be used for informational purposes only.****

Ford is one of my holdings. I have bought a little at a time over time as to limit the risk of buying all of the shares at the same time for a higher price. This allows for a better average price. Some higher and some lower to help reduce risk and test out your theory as you buy.

The reasons I have bought Ford are several. One it is the one company that didn't take bailout money, which meant it had more on the line to succeed. 

The main reason however, was F's consistent dividend. This drives revenue and a rate of return that is a much higher rate than a savings account. I also like stocks that offer consistent dividends with good yields as it generally protects the floor on its price.  This is because, if the company is viewed as a good company, once the yield gets high due to the stock price dropping, buyers will jump in to take advantage of that high yield. Thus stopping the decline of the stock price. Many investors look for these high yielding companies during a downturn but remember to buy best of bread companies.  

 A few things to be mindful of using the strategy of a high yield is that it could be a sign of bad times and to remember that dividends are not guaranteed. Before you buy a high yield stock make sure you understand how the stock got there and where the company might be heading. 

Friends Summit Schedule

Outline of Friends Summit Schedule

1 Day virtual Summit

Opening Session- 25 Minutes

Session Two- Choose one: Subject 1, Subject 2, Subject 3- 45 Minutes

Session Three- Choose One: Subject 2, Subject 4, Subject 5-  45 Minutes

Panel Discussion-Closing - 45 minutes

Subject 1 will be an intro topic (eg, "Investing") 

Subject 2 will be an popular topic ( eg, Stocks, "Business")

Subjects 3 will be a broad topic (eg, Retirement, Real estate, Banking, Legal, Life Planning)

Subject 4 & 5 will be subtopics to 1,2, or 3 (eg, Stock strategies, forming a business, rental property, IRAs, Taxes, Budgeting, Wills/Trust, )

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2 Day virtual Summit

Day 1:

Opening Session- 15 Minutes

Session Two- Choose one: Subject 1, Subject 2, Subject 3- 45 Minutes

Session Three- Choose one: Subject 2, Subject 3, Subject 4-  45 Minutes

Panel Discussion - 30 minutes

Subject 1 will be an intro topic (eg, "Investing") 

Subject 2 & 3 will be an popular topic ( eg, Stocks, "Business")

Subjects 4 will be a broad topic (eg, Retirement, Real estate, Banking, Legal, Life Planning)

Day 2:

Opening Session- 10 Minutes

Session Two- Choose one: Subject 5, Subject 6, Subject 7- 45 Minutes

Session Three- Choose a room: Discussion Room 1, Discussion Room 2, Discussion Room 3- 30 minutes

Panel Discussion 2- Closing - 45 Minutes

Subject 5,6 & 7 will be subtopics to previous topics (eg, Stock strategies, forming a business, rental property, IRAs, Taxes, Budgeting, Wills/Trust, )

Discussion Rooms are an open forum with a moderator to discuss ideas, ask questions, form interactions on a specific topic (ig, Real estate, Retirement, Stocks)

Broward Sheriff's Office: Harassing citizens out on a bike ride

I had a very negative experience with the BSO today. I just got racially profiled with my 14 year old cousin (black) riding bikes in my neighborhood by BSO. He is visiting and wanted to go for a bike ride to the beach. I live about 2.5 miles from the beach. We drove around the neighborhood and over the bridge to the beach. We rode around for a bit before heading back. I was thirsty so we stopped at the 7-11 for a drink before heading back to my apartment. 

As we were riding up 13th  (a somewhat busy connecter road) a SUV pulled up behind my cousin and honked. Even though he legally had the right of way he pulled off into a driveway to allow the car to pass and got back on the road. A Broward Sheriff SUV was sitting at the intersection. We both nod at the two officers as we pass.

We continue on home just a minute up the road and  right when we got off the bikes the SUV pulled up beside me. He questioned me about where we came from. Instead of being an ass because my cousin was with me, I said the beach. He said "I saw him drive out of a driveway. Why was he in that driveway." I am thinking you were there and saw the whole thing but I explained it to them thinking that would be the end of it. 

Off course that wasn't the end of it. He said "why were you at the beach". I said riding we went to 7-11 and showed him our bag as proof. He asked if I lived here, said I never seen you around here before and asked who my cousin was. I said I lived here 3 years (actually I am on my third year living here but still) and that he is my cousin. I was getting irritated at this point and felt me starting to get an attitude. I was like Why does it matter. He said why didn't you just go to cumberland farms instead of the 7-11 (it is just across the street). Why drive all the way over there. I gave him a dead stare and said cousin let's go and walked away. I put up the bikes and they drove off. Later my cousin said when I walked off the cop called me something along the lines of a fucker. 

I am glad I didn't hear that shit. I am a little hot headed especially when it comes from people trying to flex their perceived power. If my cousin wasn't with me I wouldn't have been as nice but I bet if my cousin wasn't with me they wouldn't have followed me. I say that because I have been running, riding, and walking in this neighborhood for over 2 years. I have never had an encounter with the BSO and I see them virtually daily. If this officer covers this area, I am sure he has seen me around.

This officer could have had a positive encounter but he and his partner just couldn't help in harrasing a citizen in the neighborhood they work in. All he had to do was ask his initial two questions and moved on with his day. Although annoying, would have left me thinking he was just doing his job in making sure the neighborhood was ok. Or better yet why didn't he follow the SUV that honked a young bike rider off the road? Just another reason BSO and the police in general continue to build a bad reputation. 

Investing in these times

It has been interesting as of late if you follow the market. It is crazy  how the market seems to be in a separate reality what is going on around us. Over the last year I have been watching my investments and trying to figure out what this next election cycle was going to bring to the market. Then the COVID-19 and recent protests showed up. These making it even more confusing.

How is the marketing rebounding so much through these tragedies in our nation. Unemployment is up, small business are shuttering, global economies are strained and we are divided as a nation on something that should be unifying us (BLM & Police Brutality). We saw oil futures go NEGATIVE, the stock market pument and almost completely rebound.

Here are some of the things I did during this time:

-Bought index funds as the market went down and back up to lower my  average cost basis
-Bought into stocks I believed were good stocks for the long term and thought would come out of this environment strong (value)
-DIDN'T dump and of my index funds or retirement holdings. Although I considered selling and rebuying lower. I ultimately decided against it since I didn't react instantly and didn't know when that bottom was. It ultimately was the right decision as I am almost back to even on my 401K and could have missed out on those gains. Although, if done correct would have been a big gain but it was to risky for me to try.

Moving forward I am interested in a few things. I have been working on a project to bring people in my circle together to discuss investing and building wealth. A discussion I think doesn't happen enough in minority communities.

A second item I am interested in is looking to continue to support small business with an extra plus for supporting minority business or businesses within my circle. I don't want to simply be a customer. I want to figure out how to leverage my skills and resources to help support and build these.

A third interest of mine is building knowledge with my nieces to empower them to build a financial understanding to be successful in whatever they decide to do. I have already started a saving plan and discuss the importance of savings but I want their knowledge to expand into ownership (business, investments, realestate...). I also encourage them to an overall balanced education and want them to explore their interests. It scares me thinking that they, as black women, will need to work twice as hard to get half the opportunities others will.

Road warrior to treadmill warrior

As I mentioned in my last post, running in south florida sucks. Now that "spring" has turned to summer it is even worse. I have decided to move to the treadmill. It has been an interesting transition as I have dreaded the treadmill throughout the years. Often it is boring and doesn't feel like my natural running flow.

Over the last 2 months I have been able to adjust to the change. I have been able to run for longer distances without having to stop. Although my pace has been slower than when I was running on the road  most recently it is faster than when I ran outside last summer. My average distance completed has also been much higher. One of the things I have added to make running on the treadmill more bearable is adding watching tv instead of just music or staring at the wall. This has contributed to me getting extra miles in as I get caught up in the show that I just keep running,

Overall, it still isn't as fun but it is serving the purpose of keeping me moving. I don't think I will be beating any records with this but I am also not losing my fitness, which is the main purpose of my running. I have also been adding in speed work once a week and doing those outside. I have been surprised at the quality of those workouts despite me running on a treadmill most days.

Pros:
Running everyday
Run anytime of day (vs night or early morning for outside)
High miles per run
staying healthy
more comfortable environment
more tv time

Cons:
Inside
controlled enviromnent (no hills, heat, change ups)
slower average mile
Not building speed
more tv time

Back to Running again, for now

I have gotten more free time lately due to COVID-19 and the slow down at work. I have gotten back into a regular running schedule since the new year but have now been able to pick up the training. Here are my thoughts from lately:

Running in South Florida Sucks:
-It is always hot (a few cools day but still)
- You need to run before Sun rise or after Sunset
-Both options suck. You either have high humidity or heat and often both
-I hate treadmills
-No good trails to run
-How did I ever run cc down here? Maybe that is why I sucked so much.
-No elevation unless you find a bridge.... I think everyone knows this but makes trying to change things up a bit harder and isn't much worse then South Georgia
- I miss the South Georgia Running Community. I haven't has luck finding one I gel with here.

Running as I have gotten older:
- I use to be pretty fast, comparatively ( I didn't often feel that way, although I didn't feel slow either)
- I use to workout hard- I knew that but man did I put the effort in. I find it hard now to do (lack of community? Accountability?).
- 15-20 lbs makes a difference and is harder and harder to keep off
- I eat bad.... Well really I eat to much and that doesn't help with the above issue
-I don't care to race so much as to be healthy and have a positive outlet. Although putting a race on the schedule has motivated me to run more consistent and have something to work toward in the past.

Making Running exciting while alone :
- I play little games on my runs. This has gotten me out of the habit of running the same boring route every day and gotten me to explore new areas of the neighborhood.

• Try to not  run down a dead end
• Run down every dead end
• Don't run on the same street twice. 
• Try to run a mile in a random neighbor hood
• guess how long a street is
• Try and run down every street in a neighborhood
• I always used running as a way to relieve stress or think about something that is going on or get always from thinking about something that is going on. I don't drink, I don't smoke, have many other hobbies and running has always been my outlet. 
• You get the point.

Schedule

It is that time of year were I am doing a lot. School is back in session and so is my crazy schedule. I am teaching a first year experience course, officiating football, and helping manage a running group, on top of my regular job as store manager. Here is what my schedule looks like for a two week period.

Sunday

7a 8 mile long run w/ GLCR

9a -3p work @ the store

3:30-6p mandatory Allstar Football Association meeting

Monday

7a-6:30p work at the store

9a-10p  Teach FYE class

6:30p- 40 minute run @ Chehaw

Tuesday

7a-5:45 work at the store

6p - group run at WildSide running

8:30-10p Football Confrence call

Wednesday

7a-5:15p work at the store

9a-10a Teach FYE class

5:30 GLCR speed workout 

Thursday

7a-4p work at the store

12p-1p  treadmill run @ Gym

4:15-8:30p JV game @ Miller Co

Friday

7a-4p work at the store

1p-2p treadmill run @ gym

4:15p-12a Varsity football ECO @ Bainbridge 

Saturday

8a- 30 minute run

7:30-9a prep/cook food for officials crew 

9:30a-2:30p work at the bookstore

3p-4p finish & pack food for game

4p-1a Varsity PCO @ Calquitt Co (ESPNU game)

Sunday

7a- GLCR 8 mile long run

9:30-3p work at the bookstore

2p-4p football meeting (guess I'll miss the first half)

Monday

8a-5:00p work at the store

9a-10p  Teach FYE class

5:30p- 60 minute run @ Chehaw

Tuesday

8a-5:45 work at the store

6p - group run at WildSide running

8:30-10p football conference call

Wednesday

8a-4:00p work at the store

4:15-7p Midle school game @ Lee Co

7:30- 30 minute run

Thursday

7a-5p work at the store

12p-1p  treadmill run @ Gym

5:15p-10:330p Varsity game @ Hugh Mills

Friday

7a-4p work at the store

1p-2p treadmill run @ gym

4:15p-12a Varsity football ECO @ Cook co 

Saturday-Sunday

Travel to Atlanta to spend time with the nieces.

Monday

6a-12p Macon Labor Day race

Travel back to Albany 

This doesn't include everyday things like cooking, cleaning, sleeping, studying for football, planning for GLCR, grading assignments..... You get the point. I enjoy what I do but it is tiring sometimes.